About Us
The aims of the Society are to promote an interest in all matters relating to model railways and railways generally. It offers members the opportunity to build and operate model railways in cooperation with others, and provides premises where these aims and general social activity can be carried on.
The Society consists of around thirty members; meeting on Wednesday evenings at the clubroom in South Croydon between 7.30 and 10.00pm. Refreshments are available. Frequently there are also afternoon sessions on a Wednesday, but the clubroom may then be closed until the evening session.
A number of layouts have been constructed by members, which are displayed to the public from time to time at at exhibitions organised by other groups.
The Society provides a newsletter to members, normally at two-monthly intervals.
It is affiliated to the Model Railway Club and a member of the Chiltern Model Railway Association.
Location
Meetings take place at the Croydon Model Railway Society in South Croydon which can be accessed from the following bus routes
| Number | Route | Via Stations |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | Streatham Station to Old Coulsdon | Coulsdon South Coulsdon Town West Croydon |
| 166 | West Croydon to Caterham | Coulsdon Town West Croydon |
| 312 | Norwood Junction to South Croydon Bus Garage | |
| 407 | Sutton Town Centre to Caterham Valley | West Croydon Whyteleafe South |
| 466 | Addington Village to Caterham-on-the-Hill | East Croydon |
The following stations are nearby: –
- Purley Oaks (Walk to Brighton Road and take buses 60, 166, 407, 466. Be aware that not all trains running between South Croydon and Purley, stop at Purley Oaks!)
- Sanderstead (15 minute walk)
- South Croydon (Walk to Swan and Sugar Loaf and take 60, 166, 312, 407, 60).
Our Clubroom
Our clubroom in South Croydon provides space for layouts to be constructed, stored and, depending on their size, to be operated. Unfortunately the space is not large enough for all the Society’s layouts to be assembled at the same time.
A test track which caters for scales from N-gauge to O-gauge is always available to run locomotives. In the smaller scales DCC power is also provided as an option.
Club nights provide an opportunity for members to meet, socialize and get a cup of coffee, but the room is available at any time by suitable arrangement.
Our History
The Society was founded on 30th July 1947. The inaugural meeting was held at Purley Oaks School, South Croydon, when a committee was elected under the chairmanship of Mr F N Rush.
The Society moved into rooms on Platform 1 at Purley Oaks Station around 1950 and remained there until 2nd May 1989 when a disastrous fire destroyed the clubroom and its contents.
Arrangements were then made for meetings to take place at Christchurch Hall, Brighton Road, Purley. This situation lasted until 22nd April 1992 when the transfer was signed for the purchase of the Society’s present clubroom in South Croydon. After a busy summer of building work, the Society moved in on 16th September that year. At last it was independent and in control of its own future.
The result of the fire
